


After: Damascus, Syria

by yuma (yuma_writes)



Series: Tags [2]
Category: The Brave (TV 2017)
Genre: Bigotry & Prejudice, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, Protectiveness, Spoilers, Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 05:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13093104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuma_writes/pseuds/yuma
Summary: It's a long flight filled with short conversations.





	After: Damascus, Syria

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after the main mission of the pilot. Contains spoilers from the episode.

"What happened to his arm?"

Joseph plucked out an earplug and looked up at Dalton stooped over him. 

At Dalton's question, his eyes drifted to the solitary figure in the back of the plane. No one liked taking a seat near the tail. The area shook like it was about to be overtaken by a herd of wild horses even though the ramp and humvee were locked down.

An experience Joseph always winced in memory and strangely enough, made him long for home.

Dalton's mouth twisted into a grimace or a smile; it could be both with Top. He shook his head.

"Let me guess: Amir asked you to cut him." 

Not waiting for an answer, Dalton grunted and neatly pivoted around to drop into the empty web seat by Joseph. He didn't bother buckling in. Dalton looped two fingers into the red nylon net meshing above his head. He glanced back over to Amir. He sighed.

Joseph made a face, because—yeah, the idea sounded bad even now. Hell, it was already terrible the first time he heard it. And although Amir was the new guy, it still didn't feel right to dig the tip of his blade into Amir's forearm. They argued briefly how deep Joseph should cut. But Dr. Kimberly Wells couldn't afford to wait for them to debate how much bloodletting was going to help. 

The plane rumbled as it hit a pocket of turbulence. The gear stowed in the racks above their heads rattled. Strap buckles banged into rails. Joseph winced. With only one earplug in, everything sounded louder in his other ear. His eyes watered from the noise. 

The plane did another hop. Dalton reached up again. He twisted his hand tighter on the weave of straps behind him. Joseph thought he saw Amir jerk when his arm bumped into one of the poles. Crap. Hopefully, Amir didn't pop a stitch. 

Joseph settled a splayed hand over the packages balanced precariously on his thighs before the next bounce spilled them onto the floor. He had pulled everything out of his pack and onto his lap immediately after takeoff. One, to occupy himself as the 130 rumbled and vibrated around him. They're fast but hell on the eardrums and asses. And two, to figure out what medical supplies he needed to replenish as soon as they landed on Incirlik. Last time, the QM complained he kept coming back for things not listed on the weekly form. 

"Amir should have discussed it with me." Dalton scowled, but this time it was at Joseph. " _You_ should have told me."

"There wasn't time."

Dalton held Joseph's gaze a beat longer before he heaved a sigh. He nodded, conceding to Joseph's point. 

Joseph picked up each roll of bandages, checked the expiration dates and discarded the ones close to that time into the empty seat on his right. He heard Dalton next to him, breathing evenly in his ear and nothing more.

"Thought we needed some blood to make it convincing," Joseph murmured. 

"Of course he did," Dalton scoffed. "I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not." 

Joseph scratched a spot behind his ear. He studied Dalton out of the corner of his eye. 

"Look, it's not too deep. I made sure of it."

Dalton grunted. He scrubbed his palm over his jaw and down to his throat as he considered Joseph. Sharp blue eyes stayed on him unwavering.

"All right, it needed a few stitches," Joseph amended. He had to corner Amir to get him to show Joseph the arm first. 

"There were other ways to sell Amir was our prisoner." 

Joseph chuckled, but his heart wasn't in it. "Said he didn't want to give me a chance to punch him."

"Yeah," Dalton muttered darkly. "I supposed he wouldn't want that."

Joseph nudged around a few of the vacuum sealed bandages. Empty vials chased each other in his lap. He'll need to remember to include those on his list as well.

"I mean," Joseph continued slowly, unsure whether this was something Top wanted to hear, "He got good makeup skills, but I doubt he would have been able to cover up another shiner."

Next to Joseph, Dalton rolled back his shoulders to hide the sudden tension. He gave Joseph a sideways look.

His mom used to give him those looks. Like the time he tried to explain the muddy tracks all over her kitchen floor when there hadn't been a rain cloud all day. She murmured, "Uh hm," gave him a look and moments later, Joseph confessed faster than he could think of the words.

Fidgeting because the shallow seats could never accommodate his long frame, Joseph rearranged the detritus on his lap.

"He didn't say anything, so I figured it wasn't my business to poke."

Dalton grunted. He rubbed the back of his neck wearily. "Yeah, it's sticky business. Him being a Muslim shouldn't matter, but the bombing last month…"

Joseph's mouth thinned. Team Five rolled out for that one. Dalton had DIA send them to be on protection detail instead, a political howdy-do in Chile to ease their newest member into the dynamics of the team. Everyone was unhappy about that; oddly enough, especially Amir. The whole time, everyone avoided talking to each other beyond the mission. It was like walking a minefield; one wrong word spoken and boom. Jaz was a little pricklier around Amir during the mission. She still was. But their sniper got the job done, even if she was a bit frosty towards Amir afterwards. 

"I talked to Amir about the possibility the first week he arrived. I assured him no one was going to have an issue with him." Dalton idly scratched his arm under the edge of his sleeve. The olive tan shirt failed to cover a bruise Dalton failed to mention—again.

"The guy seemed to expect it though, but he promised me he would tell me if it becomes an issue." Dalton frowned.

Joseph glanced towards Amir. Amir has a hand loosely curled around the bandage on his forearm. He didn't bother changing back into his BDUs like the others and used the ratty brown jacket to drape over his head like a hood. He appeared to be asleep hunched inside the netting back. Joseph's lower back twinged just looking at him. 

Satisfied the bandages looked clean from where they were, Joseph faced Dalton. He found Dalton staring back, expectant.

Joseph cleared his voice.

"He went to the base gym I told him about, the one next to hangar four. Next thing I knew, he came back all covered up." Joseph lifted his shoulders again. "Man didn't say anything. Must not have thought it was an issue. I figured it was none of my business."

"Hurt badly?"

Joseph shook his head. "Nah. He was steady on his feet when he came back. His pupils looked equal and reactive." He canted his head, thinking. 

"He ate okay at dinner. I didn't hear or smell anything like he was puking up his guts. And—" Joseph snapped his mouth shut. Ah, damn it.

Dalton, however, smiled crookedly. His eyes crinkled at the corners.

"None of your business, huh?"

"Aw," Joseph muttered. He glowered at his CO. "Wasn't Preach's business either, but he knocked a tooth out of that PFC's mouth."

"That's funny," Dalton commented mildly. "Heard it was two." He grinned as he levered out of the seat. The frame twanged as the bottom folded up again. Dalton gestured with a two finger salute towards the ceiling and crossed back to his spot, slightly bowlegged to keep his balance.

Joseph was tempted to roll a wad of gauze under Top's boot, but at the last minute he figured trying to trip up your CO might be considered misconduct even if the man was sometimes an irritating smug son of a—

A thump rattled next to Joseph. He jumped. Syringes, vials and bandages made a break for it.

"Damn it, Jaz," Joseph grumbled as he tried to recapture the escapees. Great, now he was going to have a longer list because there was no way he wanted to use those now. He narrowed his eyes at Jaz's smirk. "Stop being a ninja."

"Like I told Top," Jaz quipped. She tossed back a thick dark braid of her hair over her shoulder. "You should all be ninjas by now."

Joseph tossed a bundle of bandages at her which she expertly batted away. It flew across, bounced off the aluminum edge of the seat and landed inside Preach's backpack gaped wide open.

"Show off," Joseph muttered. "Not everyone can be as quiet as a mouse like you and Amir."

Jaz's smirk faded. Crap, despite the 130's noise, she must have heard them. Joseph followed her gaze as it dragged over to Amir. Her mouth twitched at the corners; she looked like she wasn't sure if she wanted to frown or smile.

"He doesn't belong," Jaz said abruptly.

Joseph sat up straighter. He threw a look over to where Dalton was, but Top's chin hung low to his chest. He was fast asleep.

"Not because he's Muslim," Jaz added when she caught Joseph's expression. "He's weird around us. He doesn't say much. He doesn't think like us. You don't hear him joking around. He's…he's…"

"Not Elijah?" Joseph finished gently.

Grief and anger flared in Jaz's brown eyes. It made her beautiful in a fiery sort of way. But it also reminded Joseph how much they all missed Elijah. 

And how much they may be taking it out on Amir. No one threw a punch, but silence hurts just as bad.

Joseph grimaced. He sagged into his seat. His lower back ached from the lack of support from the fabric seat. A lot of other things hurt too, but he can't blame those on the expert slice from his k-bar or the 130's seats.

"Jazzie," Joseph said slowly, "You ever think maybe Amir over there thinking we were pissed he wasn't Eli—wasn't him?"

Jaz's eyes lowered to the deck. She pulled one knee up and rested her chin on it.

"I mean, seriously, the guy was a spy. He could pick up these things. Maybe he thought he was giving us some space?" And unfortunately, they let him. Knocking out teeth didn't matter if no one said anything. 

Jaz sniffed loudly. She grimaced. She didn't look over to Amir.

Joseph bumped his shoulder against hers. "We all miss him. You know that. But that's not Amir's fault. Not fair to take it out on him."

"I'm not—" Jaz sucked in her breath. She exhaled between clenched teeth. Her foot dropped from its perch at the edge of the seat. Her boot made a loud thud on the metal plating, echoing throughout the entire place.

Joseph checked the plane. Top's head continued to bob with the flight.

"I know it's not his fault. I'm not…" Jaz screwed up her face. "Give me time, all right? I promise I won't punch the guy."

Joseph cleared his throat. "Hey, about that—"

"It wasn't right, you know," Jaz said abruptly. This time, she gave Amir a considering look. "Who we are shouldn't offend anyone. None of us should have to defend who we are."

Joseph thought of all the years Jaz clawed her way up to CRT, to become a sniper in an Omega team. He nodded wordlessly.

"He still bugs me. Sometimes it feels like he doesn't belong or want to belong. I don't know why he's even here. He was a spy. Yeah. Big whoop. Why didn't he stay where he was? Why go from that to this? With us?"

"Top wouldn't have brought him in if he didn't think the guy would fit in the team." Joseph hesitated. He looked over to Dalton, but all Top was doing was more head bobbing and snoring. 

"I'm not questioning Top. I'm questioning _him_ ," Jaz said as she rose to her feet, "But it doesn't make me want to punch him." She paused. She tossed a smirk over her shoulder as she continued her way back to her seat. 

"Top, on the other hand…" 

Joseph snorted. He went back to his repacking and tally.

Out of the corner of his eye, Joseph caught Dalton's head lifting fractionally. 

Son of a—

Joseph's aim wasn't as good as Jaz, but he felt a wiggle of satisfaction when the ball of gauze bounced off Dalton's shoulder. He felt more when the next day, Jaz awkwardly invited Amir to be on her team to play soccer with the kids on the beach.

**Author's Note:**

> As mentioned before, I saw "It's All Personal." Er, about five times. 
> 
> And the muses refused to go quietly unless this was written. And _that_ was written. And the other one was written and...
> 
> As I pound out a longer story for this fandom, thank you for indulging me in my shorter forays into the show.
> 
>   
> By the way, feedback is like cookies.
> 
> I like cookies!  
> 


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